Photo: SINTEF Ocean AS/HMS i havbruk

Advancing HSE Knowledge to Foster Safer Workplaces in the Aquaculture Industry

NORWAY
Wednesday, December 04, 2024, 12:30 (GMT + 9)

Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) must be given higher priority at all levels in the farming companies in Norway, shows a new study. This research has created a unique web-based guide on what can be done to prevent unwanted incidents in the workplace.

The aquaculture industry is a risk-prone industry when it comes to occupational accidents. With ambitious targets for growth and the emergence of new forms of production, there are increasingly strict requirements for health, environment and safety (HSE) both at the companies and their suppliers.

Reacting after the accident

The report "HSE in the new aquaculture" shows, through in-depth interviews and mapping in the industry, that many people see clear improvements in the HSE work in the industry, but also highlights a need to prioritize the work higher.

-Several in established businesses describe the HSE work as reactive, that is to say that much happens after incidents have occurred to prevent them from happening again. For new forms of production, the HSE work seems to be more proactive, meaning that you think about HSE from the start, says project manager Trine Thorvaldsen in SINTEF Ocean.

HSE must be a higher priority

In general, the project shows that HSE must be given higher priority at all levels in the companies. Resources such as safety management, equipment, workplace training and collaboration must be in place. The results here come from interviews and working meetings with the employees in aquaculture, both from those with experience from traditional facilities, submersible facilities, closed facilities and facilities that are thought to be operated at sea and on land.

The main aim of the project is to establish measures that ensure health-promoting and safe workplaces, which in turn can prevent work-related absences and dropouts from the industry.

The tool www.hmsihavbruk.no

- Work in the aquaculture industry can involve tough and potentially dangerous working conditions. Our ambition is to update knowledge about HSE and to point out which measures can be taken to prevent strain ailments and avoid accidents. This time we have collected a set of resources in the web portalhmsihavbruk.no, which companies and employees can use to prevent workplace incidents. It has already been well received in the industry, says Thorvaldsen.

Here you will find results from the HSE survey in aquaculture 2023, which was answered by 1,283 employees in the industry. SINTEF has carried out accident analyzes and offers knowledge and resources that the farming companies can use in their internal HSE work. 

Requires time and resources

- This includes proposals on how to systematize and assess risk, how to learn from incidents that occur and cooperation for increased security, can also be found there. Many of the measures are fundamentally about putting enough resources into the security work, both in terms of finances and time

Technology is developing rapidly, and the aquaculture industry is looking towards a future where continuous development and adaptation of HSE work is necessary.

Click on the image to enlarge

Regular surveys and the factories next

- With new insights and concrete measures, the industry will be better equipped to look after its employees. The project represents an important contribution to meeting the needs of a rapidly growing and technologically developing industry, where the safety and health of employees must be given priority. It will be just as important to have regular surveys of HSE in the industry. We see that it helps to increase focus, adds Thorvaldsen.

The project shows that the need for regular HSE surveys across companies is also desired by the industry itself.

- In this project, we have looked at the value chain until the fish is taken ashore for processing. We have little research on the salmon slaughterhouses and factories. This is part of the value chain with many people employed that we should survey in order to gain more knowledge that can be used as a basis for targeted measures, says Thorvaldsen.

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